Indonesia’s highest volcano spewed ash 1.5km into the air on Sunday (December 4). Several hundred local people were moved to local shelters.

Lava also flowed down Mount Semeru, on Java, Indonesia’s most densely populated island.

According to reports, Japan’s Meteorology Agency was monitoring for the possibility of a tsunami after the eruption.

Mount Semeru in East Java, erupted today, Sunday (4/12/2022). The eruption occurred at 02.46 WIB earlier.

This is based on data from the Mount Semeru Observation Post, Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), Geology Agency, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

The monitoring post also reported that the point of the ash column was observed approximately 1,500 meters above the peak.

"There was an eruption of G Semeru, East Java on December 4, 2022 at 02:46 WIB with the height of the ash column being observed ± 1,500 m above the peak (± 5,176 m above sea level)," wrote PVMBG on its official website regarding the Mount Semeru eruption,

"This eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 35 mm and a duration of 0 seconds," continued PVMBG.

The ash column was observed to be gray with moderate to thick intensity leaning to the southeast and south.

"The hot cloud avalanches are still ongoing. The eruption is still ongoing while the report is being made," wrote PVMBG.

Currently, Mount Semeru is in Status Level III (Alert).

PVMBG also recommends that residents not carry out any activities in the southeastern sector along Besuk Kobokan, 13 km from the summit (the eruption center).

Outside of this distance, the community does not carry out activities at a distance of 500 meters from the riverbank (river border) along Besuk Kobokan because it has the potential to be affected by expansion of hot clouds and lava flows up to a distance of 17 km from the summit.

"No activity within a 5 km radius of the crater/top of Mount Semeru because it is prone to the danger of throwing stones (incandescent)," info PVMBG.